Michael John Ashcroft Mafa

Born in 1969, Michael John Ashcroft grew up in a small picturesque village called Croston in the heart of Lancashire. From an early age he had a keen interest in art and can fondly remember watching other artists paint pictures of the famous Church Street. After leaving school in 1985 with top grades in art he began his career as an engineer, painting and sketching only in his spare time. In 1998 he had a major operation and decided to paint more seriously. He returned back to college and completed numerous classes in art including A- level fine art, OCA in portraiture and life drawing classes which he continues to do on a weekly basis.
His early paintings were abstract acrylics and pastels which concentrated on the separation between light and dark before moving onto oils incorporating his early inspirations and techniques into the landscape around him. As Michael says,
"Lancashire is a wonderful place for an artist to live, from its luscious greens and warm yellows during summer, to the long winter months where the skies hang majestically over the drab landscape; there is an endless amount of subject matter."
Michael's breakthrough came in 2005, when he felt ready to exhibit in a major competition



and entered in...

Qualifications
O-level Art and Design
A-Level Fine art
OCA Portraiture
City & Guilds Life Drawing (Distinction)

Magazine Articles
International Artist Magazine
Lancashire Life Magazine
Lancashire Evening Post
Interviews
Big Interview Preston City
Preston FM
BBC Radio Lancashire